Mail box



R. H. BESS Nov. 14, 1939.

MAIL BOX Filed OCT.. 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/G Z.

P055??- /7. Bess INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

R. H. BESS Nov. 14, 1939.

MAIL BOX Filed Oct. 3, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ADOBE/Q7- H. 5&5 s

INVENToR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES augen PATENT ortica 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a mail box designed primarily for use in ruralsections where mail boxes ordinarily are located at the side of a roadand usually remote from the residence of the user.

An object of the invention is to provide a mail box mounted to travelfrom the road to the house, said box being electrically driven andconstantly under the control of the user located at one end of the pathof travel.

A further object is to provide a mail box which, on reaching that end ofits trip remote from the user, will automatically operate a signal lightto indicate that its destination has been reached.

A still further object is to provide a travelling mail box whichutilizes a reversible electric motor, said motor being reversedautomatically when the box reaches either limit of its movement.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of the mail box in position onits supporting trolleys.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section through the box, a portion beingshown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3, Figure l.

Figure 4 is a View in diagram showing the electric circuit.

Figure 5 is an elevation showing the means employed for closing thecircuit to the signal lamp when the box reaches one limit of itsmovement.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference I designates a pairof parallel supporting trolley wires of suiiicient strength to supportthe mail box and any load which may be placed therein. These wires aresuspended from suitably arranged brackets 2 which can be mounted atdesired intervals on posts 3. It is preferred to provide each bracketwith a yoke 4 fastened at its center as shown at 5 and at one side asshown at 6, the ends of the yokes being extended toward each other andthence upwardly as at 8 to the wires I where they are welded orotherwise attached.

An abutment post 9 is located at each end of the trolley Wires, one ofthese being shown in Fig- (Cl. loll- 1511) ure 5 and each post has astrap or bracket IIJ extending therefrom for the purpose of reversing amotor as hereinafter explained. One of the brackets lilV is alsoprovided with spaced resilient Contact members lI constituting terminalsof an electric circuit I2 in which is included a signal lamp I3. It ispreferred to locate this lamp at that end of the trolley which is remotefrom the home of the operator so that, when the box reaches the limit ofits movement away from 10 the house, the signal lamp will be lighted toshow that the box has reached its extreme position.

The mail box is of any desired configuration. In the structureillustrated this box has been shown in the form of a casing IA having arounded top I5 and hinged doors I6 which close the ends of the casing.

Parallel shafts I'I are journalled in the sides of the box near the topthereof and each shaft is made up of alining sections separated by alength of insulation indicated at I8. Grooved wheels I9 are secured tothe ends of each shaft and vthese wheels are adapted to rest on andtravel along the respective wires I.

One of the shafts is provided with a worm gear constantly in mesh with aworm 2| which is secured to the shaft 22 of a reversible electric motor23 and current is supplied to this motor through brushes 24 which bearupon the respective end portions of one of the shafts I1.

A reversing rod 25 is extended longitudinally within the box andprojects at its ends therefrom. Each end of this rod has a head 26thereon and the rod is adapted to slide longitudinally. It is coupled at2l to a lever 28 used for operating the reverse mechanism of the motor.This mechanism' constitutes no part of the present invention. On thecontrary the reversible motor can be of any standard type.

As shown in Figure 4 the two trolley wires I are connected to oppositesides of an electric circuit the wires or conductors of which have beenindicated at 29. These wires are usually part of the house circuit. Aswitch 3l! is in circuit with one of the wires I and is locatedpreferably at 45 the house end of the apparatus.

In using the box the mail to be delivered to the carrier is placedtherein and a flag 3| carried by one side of the box is swung outwardlywhere it can be seen readily by the carrier. Switch 30 is then shiftedto close the electric circuit through the wires I and this circuit willflow through the shaft I'I and brushes 24 to the motor so that saidmotor, which has been shifted to carry the box outwardly away from thehouse, will cause the 55 wheels i9 to travel along the supporting wiresuntil the box ultimately reaches the outer limit of its movementadjacent to the side of the road.

. At that point the advancing head 25 will come against the contacts Iland not only close the circuit to the signal lamp I3 but also cause therod to push lever 28 and reverse the motor. The operator standing at thehouse watches for the light and as soon as the red light appears, hethrows the switch 3U so that the box will remain at the outer limit ofits movement. After the mail has been removed from the box by thecarrier said box can be returned to the house simply by closing thecircuit at switch 30. As the motor has already been reversed the boxwill travel along the supporting wires i until the house is reached atwhich time the advancing head 26 will come against the bracket Il in thepath thereof and cause the motor to be reversed. The operator who isstanding ready to receive the box immediately opens the switch so thatthe box will remain in position and its contents can be removed.

It has been found in practice that apparatus such as herein described isvery eicient in use and is advantageous because of its simplicity andease of operation. It has been of great convenience to persons residingin rural districts where mail boxes are located at considerabledistances from the houses.

While it is generally designed to locate the signal light at the outerterminus of the box, it is to be understood that it could be located atthe inner terminus where it will be lighted when the box reaches theouter end of its trip.

What is claimed is:

Apparatus of the class described including supporting wires, a carriermounted for movement therealong, a reversible motor within the carrierincluding a reversing switch, means operated by the motor for moving thecarrier in either direction along the wires, a signal circuit includingnormally spaced contacts, and means movable with the carrier and againstthe contacts for simultaneously limiting the movement of the carrier inone direction, operating the reversing switch, and closing the signalcircuit through the contacts.

ROBERT H. BESS.

